Former star slams Team India assistant coach for remarks on Rohit Sharma

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary has taken strong exception to comments made by India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate regarding Rohit Sharma’s recent form, saying such remarks were unnecessary and could dent a player’s confidence.

The controversy arose after ten Doeschate suggested that Rohit’s lack of consistent match practice might have played a role in his modest returns in the first two ODIs against New Zealand, where the Indian skipper scored 26 and 24. The visitors later squared the series in Rajkot, prompting the assistant coach to reiterate his view on Rohit’s limited game time.

Tiwary, however, strongly disagreed with that assessment. He pointed out that Rohit had only recently returned to international cricket in spectacular fashion, starring in the ODI series in Australia with a fifty and a century to bag the Player of the Series award. Rohit also carried that form into the home series against South Africa before the New Zealand games.

The former KKR cricketer also dismissed the claim of insufficient match practice, highlighting that Rohit had featured in Mumbai’s Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign last month and even scored a century in the opening match.

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In a recent interaction, Tiwary did not hold back while addressing his former IPL teammate. While maintaining respect for ten Doeschate, he questioned the wisdom of such public comments, especially when they concerned a player of Rohit Sharma’s stature.

Tiwary stressed that Rohit’s achievements for Indian cricket far outweigh any short-term dip in form, noting his immense contributions both as a batter and as a captain, including leading India to major tournament successes. He termed the assistant coach’s remarks as demoralising, particularly because they came from someone who is part of the team management rather than an external critic.

According to Tiwary, members of the support staff should be mindful of how their words can impact players and the overall dressing-room environment. He urged ten Doeschate to introspect and refrain from making similar statements in the future, especially about senior players who have consistently delivered for the country.